by K. S. Martin
“What offer was that Aimee?” He turned to keep his eyes on her. She would attack and try to mount him if he weren’t careful. She reminded him of a rattlesnake or one of the evil queens in a kid’s movie. She was too sweet and the second that he turned his head, he knew the bite would be venomous and painful.
“You know, to tend to your needs.” She stood too close and tried to cup his crotch through the robe he was wearing.
“No, Aimee, I told you that I wasn’t interested in you or any offer that you made.” He stepped back but she advanced on her prey. Jordan growled and stood strong. If it was needed he would make her submit and he would take her down. He preferred to lead his pack with mutual respect instead of dominance and brutality but if it were needed, he would dole it out.
“You’re going to give in one of these days Jordan.” Lettie came from behind Jordan and wrapped both of her hands around Aimee’s throat pushing her against the wall beside the door. Lettie snarled fiercely.
“Stay away from my mate bitch. I am sick and tired of scenting you on him. Stop rubbing your raggedy ass all over him and don’t come back here unless it is pack business or life and death. Do you understand?” Aimee shoved Lettie back.
“He isn’t yours anymore. He’s got no mark and neither do you.” Aimee’s pale cheeks reddened and she trembled but she held her ground. “He’s fair game. You have no claim on him Colette so why don’t you back off and let a real woman take care of him. You don’t deserve him or appreciate him. I can take good care of him. I won’t starve him of sex for years at a time. I’ll fuck him so often he won’t have time think about anything else.” Aimee took a swing at Colette who danced out of the way of the punch. Colette, who was never aggressive a day in her life unless she was dealing with Jordan, pulled her fist back and launched it at Aimee’s face. She landed the punch crunching Aimee’s nose. Blood went everywhere. Jordan pulled them apart once he got over the word mate. He suddenly remembered that he was the alpha and part of his job was to settle disputes among pack members. He’d just been so awed by Lettie fighting for him and calling him her mate. She’d never fought for him before and he was, well…so thrilled. “You can’t possibly want this heifer Jordan. You know that you want me!” Aimee cried, drawing his attention back to them.
“Aimee, I told you that I have never wanted you.” Jordan tried to stay between them but also tried to keep his distance from the aggressive she-wolf.
“You wanted me the night we got drunk on that shine Jordan. You were very specific. You said that you were going to fuck me six ways to Sunday, you called me darlin’ and you told me that you loved me. You said we were always perfect for each other.” He remembered that night was mostly a blur. He’d gotten drunk and he’d done so on purpose. Jordan was in a bad place then. He’d left Lettie a few days before and Frank had come across some moonshine. It was really the only drink strong enough to get a wolf drunk. Their metabolisms and healing abilities were so quick that anything else was like punch.
“Aimee I was so drunk that I thought you were Lettie.” He growled.
“No, you knew who I was!” She screeched. Blood still poured down her face and she was getting desperate. This she-wolf would not give up easily. She’d had her sites on Jordan for years, even when he’d been marked; she flirted and tried to tempt him.
“I’ve only called one woman darlin’ in my life and that’s my mate.” Jordan smiled down at Lettie.
“You wanted to have sex with me Jordan.” Her voice was calm and even now. It was so calm that it was frightening. “You were sweet when you undressed me. You made me feel so special. You told me that you wanted to make love with me.” Aimee smirked at Lettie who growled her response.
“I didn’t though, did I? I couldn’t get it up for you. Only she has that effect on me Aimee, only Lettie. He kept Lettie behind him but she wanted to rip Aimee’s throat out. Lettie was growling aggressively.
“You aren’t wearing her mark anymore Jordan, you have to entertain all offers. Those are the rules.” Lettie jumped up on Jordan’s back and pulled his robe out of the way then sank her teeth into the mating muscle. Jordan stumbled but caught himself on an end table.
“Now he’s wearing my mark so get the hell out of this house.” Lettie screamed at her and hopped off of Jordan. She stalked toward Aimee like a predator, her eyes flashed; her teeth and her hands were beginning to morph. Aimee turned and ran outside. She hurried down the porch steps and down the gravel road. Lettie slammed and locked the front door then calmly turned around to head toward the bathroom.
“Hey, what the hell just happened? Jordan called after her following her.
“She wasn’t going to leave until there was no chance of her having you so I took her chance away.” Lettie threw her tee shirt over her head and kept walking down the hall nude. Jordan followed watching her pretty backside sway. He kept his hand over the bite to ease the ache. He smiled. She’d claimed him. It wasn’t under ideal circumstances and it hurt like a mother but she’d left her mark on him. She was his mate again. She knew what that bite meant. Lettie wouldn’t turn around. She wasn’t ready to let him see how pleased she was that she’d claimed him again. That would teach him to call another woman darlin.’ She reached into the shower and turned the water on then stepped in.
“Lettie?” Jordan tossed the robe at the hook on the wall. Gorgeous. He always had the most spectacular body. Well-defined pectorals and abs, and his backside was a well muscled work of art. She wondered if she could get him to… of course, she could. Just look at him, she thought, he’s already hard as steel. She curled her finger at him, beckoning him inside the glass stall. As if, he was going to wait for an invitation. Jordan stepped inside and pushed her against the wall. “You have a bite to tend to Lettie.” She stretched up on tip toe as he bent down. She kissed the bite then licked it. The wound started to fade but the mark was permanent unless she rejected him again. “Your turn.” She shook her head. “What do you mean no?” His eyes turned amber.
“You promised no biting.” Her eyes were round. She couldn’t take another bite, not yet. Just the thought of teeth on her skin scared the hell out of her.
“That was before this.” He pointed. “What will people think about me walking around marked, if you’re not?” She could feel his breath on her wet skin.
“I thought that I was the only one who mattered.” She cocked her head then stuck her face under the water to hide the smile.
“You are. You… but… shit.” Lettie couldn’t help it, a sputtering Jordan was funny, and she giggled. “You’re messing with me? Are you messing with me?” Lettie picked up the shampoo and poured some into her hand. She crooked her finger at him and he bent over to let her shampoo his hair. “Are you messing with me?” She shushed him and kissed his mark as her fingernails worked his scalp. He loved it when she washed him or scratched him. Her fingers were so arousing to him. He trembled. Lettie pulled his head under the water and let him rinse it off while she shampooed her own hair. God that felt so good. She felt so damned grungy. She immediately grabbed the soap and lathered her entire body. “Let me do that.” He growled taking the soap and working up lather then washed her. His hands felt good on her skin. Jordan kissed her skin through the suds every chance he got. Maybe he could soothe the damage the rogues had done to his mate. If he could, perhaps there was a chance she would let him mark her. “I love you Lettie.” She pointed at her mouth and he smiled then kissed her lips. She took the soap back and washed her man. “I want you.” He growled in her ear. Her hands found his erection, the soap made them slip easily over its length. She cupped then tugged on his sack testing the weight of it in her hands. “Fuck Lettie.” He slapped the tiles behind her. “Let me inside of you.” Lettie turned around and rubbed her behind on his erection. “Oh hell yes!” He turned into the spray to rinse then pressed himself against her. One hand pulled her hips back and up until she was on her toes, the other came up to tweak her nipples. She gasped. She loved it when he was
a little rough. Jordan positioned himself behind her and eased himself into her hot center. “You are so wet and ready for me.” Lettie moaned and that set him off. Jordan took her roughly, plunging inside of her. His wet sack slapped gently against her. His fingers slipped into her slick folds to tap gently on her clit. Oh! That was new. Usually he would rub small circles when he wanted her to come quickly. She trembled with his new rhythm. Tap, tap, swirl, oh God! She screamed inside her head. He rolled her nipple with his other hand and Lettie cried out. “Oh darlin’ I love the way your body wraps itself around my cock and squeezes me. Tap, tap, swirl. That was the end of her. Lettie detonated around him. The tile was cool against her cheek. The orgasm hit her fast and hard, crashing over her and through her. Tap, tap, swirl. Another one chased the first and Lettie couldn’t stop the keening cry that burst out of her. Tap, tap, swirl, all the while Jordan pounded into her and she’d never felt anything so incredible in her life. He twisted and worked a new set of nerves inside of her, two, three strokes and she was coming again. She felt like a wet, limp, dishrag. “Let me mark you darlin.’” Lettie shook her head. “Please baby, it will make this so perfect. I’ll wait until you come again.” She shook her head. Jordan pulled out of her. He was going to pout now. He didn’t get his way so he would find a way to punish her. He turned her around to face him. His lips met hers, his tongue explored and tangled with hers. Jordan lifted her legs and wrapped them around his middle then entered her. His forehead rested against hers. “I love you baby.” He rocked gently into her. His eyes were intent on hers and Lettie swallowed. “I love you. Whatever you want, okay?” Lettie nodded. She reached up and knotted her fists in his hair then bucked against him. “Oh Christ Lettie you know I can’t take that.” She grinned and moved against him, took what she wanted and gave him no choice but to climax. His big body shook against her, all of his muscles trembled and seized. He buried his face in her neck while the climax ran its course, his breath coming in heavy pants.
“I love you Jordan.” She finally said. “I’m not ready to get bitten again, not yet. Be patient with me, okay?” He nodded understanding. It wasn’t that she that she didn’t want to wear his mark or that she didn’t want him to claim her. It was the rape. This had to be the strongest woman on the planet. If he were in her place, he wouldn’t want to be touched again. Ever. He wondered how much of the attack she remembered. She remembered the bites. If she needed him to wait then he would wait, forever if need be, as long as she stayed. He didn’t care what anyone said, he had his Lettie back. Nothing else mattered.
Chapter Six
Lettie woke up screaming from the nightmare. She’d just relived the attack of the six rogues. Jordan tried to soothe her but she fought him. “Sweetheart, calm down, it’s okay, I’ve got you.” He cooed.
“This is your fault! All of this is your fault, the attack, the illness, the nightmare. It’s all you Jordan!” Lettie scrambled across the bed away from him and across the room. She began searching frantically for her clothes. “Where are my clothes Jordan?” Lettie threw tee shirts and jeans about the room.
“Come back to bed Lettie.” Jordan put his arm around her. Lettie screamed again and jumped away. He tried to shush her but she wasn’t having it. “Please talk to me. Tell me what happened. You promised that we would work this out and we can’t do that if you won’t share with me.” Jordan’s strong arms were around her now and she couldn’t get loose. The tears started followed by violent sobs. “Oh baby, you’ve remembered it, haven’t you? You’ve remembered all of it. I’m so sorry.” He lifted her and carried her to the bed. Jordan curled his body behind her and held her tight. If he didn’t she would bolt. “Tell me.” He murmured against her ear. Lettie shuddered.
“I heard a noise and I went to guard the store. I thought it was burglars and since I live over a human owned business, I assumed they would be human. I went down the diaper aisle and there were three of them.” She sniffled. “They followed me and I didn’t know where I was going but I just wanted to get away. I knew they were stronger, they were all males. When I got to the back, there were three more. They made me shift and then they…” Lettie started to sob again. “I tried to bite the leader and that was when they all started biting me. The leader tore a chunk out of my breast.” Jordan’s eyes were moist but he stayed strong for her. “The leader raped me first, he’s was their alpha and he stuck his filthy cock into me, my mouth, my ass, my…” The sob tore from her throat. Jordan tightened his arms around her and she fought him. Lettie was having trouble holding her form. All she knew was that her wolf needed to get away, to run until she couldn’t remember. “If you hadn’t left me, if you hadn’t rejected me, if you didn’t need to be the alpha, none of it would’ve happened Jordan!” Lettie sprung across the room. He’d let her get up feeling her anxiety.
“Lettie.” Jordan tried to calm her with his soft soothing voice.
“No!” She snarled. “Then you did the same thing when I was asleep. You’re no better than they were!” She screeched at him.
“That’s not so Lettie, you wanted that.” He was getting closer to her and when he got close enough he would hold her until she was reasonable again.
“I guess I wanted to be raped and torn apart too. I must have since I live alone over a grocery store. Any man could take advantage, isn’t that right Jordan?” She hissed. “It’s what you said.” Lettie shifted and bolted for the door. Jordan shifted and followed but Lettie was like a streak once she was outside. The gravel flew up behind her and he knew that it was best to let her get it out of her system.
Hours later, she returned. Jordan sat on the porch waiting for her. She came up the steps still in her wolf form and went inside. Jordan followed her until she shut the bedroom door in his face. He heard the lock click. Jordan leaned his head on the door listening. She was crying again. This was going to rip his heart from his chest. Her bleak desperation was more than he could handle. He needed to soothe her, to hold her and to make her understand. Jordan went to the kitchen and made her lunch. He prepared steak and grilled vegetables then placed them on a tray. He knocked softly on the bedroom door but she wouldn’t answer. “I have food for you. It’s out here by the door Lettie, please eat, I don’t want you to get sick again. I’m going to my office if you need me.” Jordan called through the door then walked away. He needed to get ready for the pack meeting later. He would have to find a way to sort this out. He did not intend to give up alpha yet, he’d had the position for ten days. Ten days would have to be the shortest term any wolf in history had ever served. She had to understand that it was for her. It was all for her.
***
“Summerville pack, can I have your attention please?” Jordan stood at the front of the basement room looking out at fifty sets of eyes but only one set mattered. The set in the back meant more to him than anyone else in this room. Why did she always sit back there alone? She should be up front with him. “I’ve been looking over Frank’s papers and I have to convey some disturbing news.” There were murmurs but he pushed on. “Frank left the pack in terrible shape financially. There is no money.”
“Where’s did the money go? We were supposed to be set with him selling the business and investing the profits.” Lewis asked. Lewis was a stickler for pack regulations and protocol. His father was the alpha when Frank challenged him a lifetime ago. Back then, the fight was to the death. Now, the new alpha exiled the old one and if he refused to leave then the challenge may or may not result in death. No one knew it but Frank asked Jordan to challenge him. He said that he was tired of being alpha, he wanted to enjoy his retirement. From what Jordan could now tell, he’d been skimming money for years and his retirement was probably luxurious. Jordan was always interested in being alpha. When Frank suggested it, Jordan jumped at the chance like the idiot he was. Lettie was right, he should’ve stayed home with her, loving her and driving two hours to Lennox. She was always right. His beautiful mate that sat cowering in the back now on the verge of tears was
right about so many things. This was not one of them though. Not now, he needed to see this through.
“The money is gone. I’ve been over the accounts and I’m no accountant but as far as I can tell, the money is long gone and has been for a long time. The bills were all behind and several houses were near foreclosure.” There were gasps and murmurs that were growing louder by the second. Jordan clapped his hands and snarled when they ignored him. “Lettie and I had some money saved. I used that to catch the bills up. The houses are back on track as are most of the bills. We need to come up with some ideas to get that cushion back in place. When Lewis’ father was the alpha, there was a substantial cushion to get us through. I would like to see that again. I have about a thousand dollars left and that won’t hold us long. So, any ideas?”
Jordan was pinching the bridge of his nose by the time the meeting ended. Lettie left with the pack. Jordan straightened the room and turned the lights off. What the hell were they going to do? The pack offered a few ideas but none that would create a windfall. Since Frank sold the cabinet making business, they had no income. When Jordan worked in Lennox, he managed a plumbing, air conditioning, and handy man service. He’d earned a decent living. There were several men in the pack capable of that kind of work. They could start the Summerville Plumbing and Air Service. Why not? They would need a couple of vans and some tools. Jordan trudged up the steps and down the hall. It was late and he was exhausted. Lettie sat in the middle of the bed. Her duffle sat packed on the floor beside the bed. “What’s up sweetheart?” Jordan pulled his shirt over his shoulders and her breath caught. She would miss him, miss seeing him naked, and miss kissing him. He hadn’t quit and she would not live with a man that broke promises.
